MELIA—Rochester, NY
So, this is an interesting story. This week, I’m featuring an artist named Melia. I saw that she was playing a Jersey Campfire Productions show next Saturday night (9/29) at Roxy and Dukes in Dunellen, NJ, so I figured I’d check her out. She’s cute, she can sing, she can play, and she rocks! I listened to the songs “Sleeping Beauty”, “Just A Bride”, “Bats Beneath Moonlight” and “I Wanna Be Your Girl”. These songs were refreshing to hear coming from a female rocker. This stuff was good. Really good!
According to her bio, Melia began her music career as a guitarist when she was 16. She tried to get her parents to let her take guitar lessons after going to her first Green Day show during its American Idiot tour two years earlier. They made her wait two years before actually getting her lessons, which she feels propelled her motivation. She excelled at guitar very quickly, practicing 6-8 hours a day and within eight months, Melia formed her first band with a couple of high school friends. Although, she wrote poems and lyrics while with her first band, she also wrote her own music and lyrics, which led to playing her performing her own original music at shows. Melia took on the role of vocalist in her first band as well. Of course, wanting to sing to her fullest potential, Melia began taking vocal lessons. After graduation, she became serious about pursuing her musical career. That summer after graduation, she had the experience of a lifetime when she attended another Green Day concert and was chosen by lead singer, Billie Joe Armstrong, to play guitar for the song “Jesus of Suburbia”. Since this experience, Melia has shared the stage with the likes of bands like The Offspring, Eve 6, Gaslight Anthem, Our Lady Peace, Thousand Foot Krutch, Big Wreck, Steve Vai, Twenty One Pilots, Fuel, Sick Puppies, Chevelle, Lacuna Coil, Buckcherry, Otep, Drowning Pool, Saliva, Lita Ford, Judas Priestess, Daughtry and Halestorm.
Melia continues splitting her practice each day between guitar and vocals, in addition to becoming a guitar teacher. She is now playing with some excellent musicians backing her up for her live shows. Melia’s music is a guitar-driven alternative rock style with message laden lyrics that come from her personal experiences or experiences of those close to her. Catch Melia live at Roxy and Dukes in Dunellen next Saturday night. For more info on Melia, visit MeliaRocks.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
My brothers from Killcode will be playing direct support for Lita Ford at the Starland Ballroom in Slayerville on September 27. Also performing will be my bro, Steve Bello, who has a new video out for his song “Turn to Rust” and Brake Brothers Band. Killcode will also be playing at this year’s Boom Fest New York show at the New York Expo Center a few days before on September 23. For more info on the Killcode crew, visit Killcode.net.
The Spread Eagle boys are in the studio recording a brand new Spread Eagle record. For those of you too young to remember Spread Eagle, they were a dirty NYC rock band signed to the now defunct MCA Records in the early ‘90s before grunge took over. The saw some radio success with their hit single “Switchblade Serenade”. I was fortunate enough to be a part of singer Ray West’s solo band for many years as his bass player. Ray and Spread Eagle are in the studio putting the finishing vocal touches on the band’s first studio album in 26 years. I am dying to hear it. The band will be releasing the new CD through Frontiers Records. For more info on the new Spread Eagle record, visit spreadeagle.us.
And finally, this Friday (9/21) at Debonair Music Hall, you need to check out Brandon “Taz” Niederauer with Saddle Brook School of Rock. I first saw Taz play as a cast member of School of Rock on Broadway, and now he’s performing with my hometown’s School of Rock. Then I ran into Taz out at NAMM in Anaheim, CA last year. This kid is amazing to watch play guitar. He’s like a young Jimi Hendrix. For more on Taz or where you can see him perform, visit tazguitar.com.
That’s all for now! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember…We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the Author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
9/19—Martin Barre of Jethro Tull—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
9/20—Severed Sun/Cold-Blooded Capitol—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
9/21—Brandon “Taz” Niederauer with Saddle Brook School of Rock—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
9/21—Arch Demon/Pralaya/Heartsick/Sun and Flesh—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
9/21—The Vibrators—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
9/22—Arc’d Angel/Barren One/Crewman NumberSix—Crossroads, Garwood, NJ
9/23—Boom Fest NY featuring Killcode—New York Expo Center, NYC
9/23—Pastel/TheRhats—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
9/27—Lita Ford/Killcode/Steve Bello/Brake Brothers Band—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
9/28—Harley Flanagan—The Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
9/28—Metal Mike/Attacker/Orbynot/The Upside Down—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
9/29—Morningside Lane—Connolly’s, NYC
9/29—Jersey Campfire Productions Presents: Melia/Reality Suite/Under Blood Red Skies—Roxy and Dukes Roadhouse, Dunellen, NJ
9/29—Roughhouse (formerly TEEZE)/Corners of Santuary—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
10/6—Jake Tavill/Brianna Musco—Arlene’s Grocery, NYC
10/6—KIX/Rahway—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
10/6—Corey Glover (The Voice of Living Colour)/The Blackfires/Fragile Sky/Sunday Brave—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
10/12—Lane Six Presents: House of Lords/Spider Rockets/Forgotten Oath/The Bailey Project/Frontline—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
10/12—Buckcherry/Brand of Julez/Ronin—Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ
10/13—Jersey Campfires Presents: Campstock 2018 featuring Orbynot/Another Distraction/Drifting Figures/THESE WOLVES/Under Blood Red Skies/Steel Spade Syndicate/Fuzzy Coleman/Last Martyr—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
10/19—Lane Six Presents: Zebra—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
10/20—Rahway/Puddle of Mudd—One Centre Square, Easton, PA
10/24—Tantric/Wayland/Paralandra/Talia—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
